March 28, 2024

Road clearing operations have resumed after the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued on Feb. 7 Memorandum Circular 2020-027.
The memorandum tasks local government units to manage and maintain roads within their jurisdiction.
LGUs must to enact or review existing ordinance/s that provide for the conduct of road clearing operations and the prohibition of road obstructing structures and constructions and to list down or conduct an inventory of roads within its jurisdiction in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways-District Engineering Office.
Local officials are also asked to regularly conduct road clearing operations to remove obstructions in all provincial, city, municipal, barangay, national primary and secondary roads, and to strategize how they will implement displacement plans for those affected by road clearing operations.
LGUs also have to ensure that the cleared roads are rehabilitated and restored for public use.
LGUs must establish a feedback or grievance mechanism, either physical or electronic, through which citizens can report unremoved obstructions, provide suggestions, and air their concerns.
“DILG-Cordillera will closely monitor our LGUs because it is underscored in the directive that significant results must be achieved within 75 calendar days,” said Director Marlo Iringan.
Iringan said the DILG will form teams composed of representatives of the agency, Philippine National Police, and the Bureau of Fire Protection to validate, monitor, and assess clearing operations for at least once in every two weeks.
Validation reports must be submitted not later than April 30.
In case of non-compliance, local chief executives will be issued show-cause orders. Failure to provide a sufficient response will result in the filing of administrative cases pursuant to Section 60 (c) of the Local Government Code of 1991 and other existing laws and policies.
The road clearing is now a continuous program in order to sustain the gains of the earlier clearing operations. – DILG release